World Boxing Organization (WBO) President Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel announced today the officials who will work this Saturday’s featherweight world title fight between the champion Miguel Angel “Mikey” Garcia and former two time world champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez, to be held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The referee will be Rafael Ramos (Texas), judges are Levi Martinez (New Mexico), Javier Alvarez (Texas), and Oren Shellenberger (Texas). The WBO supervisor for this fight will be Rafael López Santos.

Free of the bruises on his face, Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez, continue his hard work for his challenge against the World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight champion Miguel Angel “Mikey” Garcia to be held on June 15 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, in a Top Rank presentation, to be broadcast on HBO. The former two time world champion, Juanma Lopez (33-2, 30 KOs), who is ranked #4 by the WBO in the featherweights, will travel to Dallas on Monday, June 10, along with his manager Orlando Piñero, and his trainers Alex Caraballo and Freddy Trinidad.

“Juanma is training hard for the fight and better without the bruises on his face”, said Peter Rivera, PR Best Boxing Promotions Vice-President, about the bruises Juanma Lopez had on his face when he fell some weeks ago during track training. “He is working to make the weight and to get in a good shape and condition for Mikey Garcia.”

Also in action at the American Airlines Center, Puerto Rican prospect John Karl Sosa (7-0, 5 KOs), recently signed by Top Rank, will make his international debut againste Alexis Peña (7-2, 5 KOs) in a fight scheduled for six rounds in the junior welterweight division.

Sosa trains at the Jose “Cheo” Aponte Gym in Caguas along with Juanma Lopez, Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez and other contenders and prospects.

Trainer Robert Garcia, the former world champion says younger brother and reigning WBO world featherweight champion Miguel “Mikey” Garcia is ready for war against former champion Juan Manuel “Juanma Lopez” of Puerto Rico in their June 15 battle in Dallas, Texas.

Garcia told BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard – “I cant promise you it will be a war because Mikey doesn’t fight wars. He fights a smart, technical fight. But if he (Juanma) wants a war we’ll be ready like we were ready for (Orlando) Salido” from whom Garcia won the title.

The trainer said – “if it turns out into a war we’ll be ready fore what Juanma brings but I think it will be a very technical fight by Mikey.” Garcia told us he expects Juanma to try and push Mikey around but indicated they are prepared for that just like they were prepared for a similar strategy by Salido.

Garcia pointed out that Mikey “fought very smart and controlled the fight and it was very easy. We are prepared to do the same against Juanma.”

However, Garcia conceded that Juanma Lopez “is a left hander with tremendopus power so we have to be careful and fight smart, but we expect Mikey to win.”

He said Mikey has been doing “really good work in sparring with two main guys and three others.” One of his sparring partners is from Argentina while the other is 2012 US Olympian Joseph Diaz Jr. who was the US National featherweight champion at the US Olympic training center in Colorado.

How do you feel coming into this fight?
I feel really good; I have good preparation for this type of fight.

Stepping in against Garcia after tough losses to Salido
It’s all about styles and I think are styles are going to match and I have a great opponent.

Are you going to try and knock him out?
We are going to go hard, pressure him, pressure him and if the knock comes or 12 rounds, we got to be prepared everyday.

On leaving Puerto Rico for training to stay focused which has been an issue in the past
It is difficult to leave Puerto Rico, we have talked about it before, going to Big Bear, going to other places to train, but you know what, I love my kids and I get to see them all the time, I can’t see myself leaving them for a long period of time.

CAGUAS, PUERTO RICO – Former two time world champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez is completely focused in his next fight against the World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion Miguel Angel “Mikey” Garcia on June 15 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas in a Top Rank presentation to be broadcast on HBO.

Juanma Lopez (33-2, 30 KOs), who is ranked #4 by the WBO in the featherweights, weighed today at 138 pounds of a 144.9 pounds maximum, as part of the Puerto Rico Professional Boxing Comission 30- day pre weigh-in.

“We are working to make the weight and to get the best condition. Our goal was to make 139 pounds today and we made 138, it’s so good”, said Lopez, who was going to train after the pre weigh in. “We are one month before the fight and I’m feeling very good with the training. As we made two fights (in February and April) this year, I kept in the gym all the time. We want to be in 131 or 132 pounds next week and work with that weight for the finals weeks, but I’m so good, eating good and in a good mood”.

Lopez, who come off two KO wins in February and April, 2013, over Aldimar Silva Santos and Eugenio Lopez, respectively, has a bruise on his face because he fell yesterday during his morning workout.

“In a reaction work with the medicine ball, I slipped on the on the wet race track and fell, unbeleivable, that’s the first time in my career”, said Lopez laughing.

Mikey Garcia (31-0, 26 KOs) come off a spectacular win over Orlando Salido to win the WBO featherweight belt on January 19, when he sent Salido four times to the canvas. Garcia won by technical decision in nine rounds when he hurted his nose after an accidental headbutt and didn’t continue the fight.

“I think that styles make the fights and I know that the style of Mikey Garcia is good for me. We are working in it, but also for anything he brings”, said Lopez.